How easy is it to put HD600 drivers in the HD650?

I suspect I've got an HD650 with HD600 drivers inside. I suspect this because i bought my HD650 used, and the sound is not as I've seen it described I've seen it described as being much warmer/laid back/more bassy than the Beyerdynamic DT880, and the in the model I've got here that's not the case.

But anyway, regardless of my suspicions, how easy would it be to take out the driver of the HD650 and swap it with the HD600 driver? They're identical in size, and shape and connections, aren't they?

If it is easy to swap them, it would be a cheap upgrade if you've already got an HD600, to buy an HD650, put the drivers of the HD650 in your HD600 and the drivers of your HD600 in the new HD650, then return the HD650 (within the returnable period) and get your money back. You've just upgraded your headphone from a HD600 to a HD650, without paying a dime!! And now there is a HD650 with HD600 drivers on the market (which I suspect I've bought).

I'm not saying people do this, nor am I advising you to, obviously, but if it is easy to swap the drivers round, I may have gotten conned...?

well there you go, I guess it is possible to get conned in this way...

I wonder how many of the so-called 'bass-light' HD650's out there are really HD650's with HD600 drivers inside them...?

None I'm sure, I think your suspicions are nonsense as the HD 650's simply are not dark headphones. BTW it is a pain to remove the drivers because they are held in place with clips that are firm and do not give much so to take out the drivers you usually have to break these clips. I have done this with the HD 580's but not the HD 650's (they look exactly the same inside).

HD 600 -> HD 650 isn't really an upgrade anyway, more of a sidestep. Forgetting the FR balance the bigger difference in these headphones is the dynamics and sound signature so you should be able to tell the difference that way.

The 650 has significant treble roll-off, as measured empircally. Plenty of ears can attest subjectly to this characteristic too.

For those of you who don't consider this "dark," what is "dark" to you?

My guess is that the big emphasis on mids makes the 650 sound just fine and not dark to those whose music is primarily in the mids (vocals). For rock, substantial treble roll-off is dark.

To me, 'dark' means emphasized bass, not just treble roll-off.

I noticed the treble roll-off with the HD650, but not the emphasized bass - indeed, the bass was the same as my DT880, whereas the DT880 is said by almost everyone to be lacking in bass, and most people say the HD650 have too much bass.

So how can one headphone that is accused by most of having too little bass (DT880) have just as much bass as another headphone that is accused by most of having too much bass (HD650)? It can't really happen unless one of those headphones is not the real deal.

I suspect my HD650's are HD650's with HD600's drivers in them because they're so easy to swap out for each other, and the HD600 is by all accounts very similar sounding to the HD650, but with less bass. Sounds like exactly what I have.

I noticed the treble roll-off with the HD650, but not the emphasized bass - indeed, the bass was the same as my DT880, whereas the DT880 is said by almost everyone to be lacking in bass, and most people say the HD650 have too much bass.

So how can one headphone that is accused by most of having too little bass (DT880) have just as much bass as another headphone that is accused by most of having too much bass (HD650)? It can't really happen unless one of those headphones is not the real deal.

I suspect my HD650's are HD650's with HD600's drivers in them because they're so easy to swap out for each other, and the HD600 is by all accounts very similar sounding to the HD650, but with less bass. Sounds like exactly what I have.

Where did you hear that the Beyers are bass-lite? Both of those headphones have boosted midbass. I would go so far as to say that the DT880/600 is just a 650 with a peak in the low treble, which may be the culprit here for varying impressions.

It could be that the drivers themselves have been jostled out of place and are not creating the usual amount of bass for the headphone. What I really think is that the 650 just isn't as slow, thick and bloated as you might hear around these parts.

Everything does depend on the amp and source that you're using, but I've never heard the 880 producing the same quantity of bass or slam/impact as the 650. The 880 is closer to cold/neutral, while the a 650 has mid-lower bass bump. The 600 is closer to the 880 but still sounds slightly bassier to me, but that's probably because of the steeper high frequency roll off. I have high res scans of the 650 and 600 drivers and will upload them later for you to inspect and compare.

Everything does depend on the amp and source that you're using, but I've never heard the 880 producing the same quantity of bass or slam/impact as the 650. The 880 is closer to cold/neutral, while the a 650 has mid-lower bass bump. The 600 is closer to the 880 but still sounds slightly bassier to me, but that's probably because of the steeper high frequency roll off. I have high res scans of the 650 and 600 drivers and will upload them later for you to inspect and compare.